# The SCERTS Model #### A Comprehensive Educational Approach #### for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders ### Volume II ## Program Planning & Intervention **by** ##### Barry M. Prizant, Ph.D., Amy M. Wetherby, Ph.D., Emily Rubin, M.S., ##### Amy C. Laurent, Ed.M., OTR/L, and Patrick J. Rydell, Ed.D. --- ## Chapter 4 # Linking Transactional Support Goals to Social Communication # and Emotional Regulation Goals In this chapter, we address the integrated nature of the SCERTS Model in specific reference to how Transactional Support goals must be linked to goals in Social Communication and Emotional Regulation. Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize once again that although we have identified the primary domains of the model in reference to Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support, we do not mean to imply that these domains are separate and distinct. On the contrary, in child development, and therefore in our assessment and educational programming approaches in the SCERTS Model, these domains are intimately interrelated and interwoven. Therefore, in practice, a child’s abilities as well as potential in social communication and emotional regulation cannot be viewed apart from the transactional supports that are influencing a child’s behavior and how the child’s behavior is influencing partner behavior. More specifically, we now address the process of how interpersonal supports and learning supports are assessed and targeted when implementing the SCERTS Model. **IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING CHILD AND PARTNER GOALS** **Transactional Developmental challenges are transactional in nature.** That is, such challenges are dynamic and are determined by child-specific factors, factors external to the child, and the interaction among these factors. If this were not the case, one would assume that a child’s difficulties and progress would be determined solely by the type and severity of a child’s developmental difficulties. 1. There is a strong relationship between a child’s achievements in social communication and a child’s achievements in emotional regulation. Again, relationships among different aspects of development, such as social communication, emotional regulation, and learning, are viewed as fluid and inseparable. Therefore, we expect that improvements in one domain, such as emotional regulation, will positively influence social communication and learning. 2. There is a strong relationship between a partner’s implementation of interpersonal supports and a child’s achievements in social communication and emotional regulation. 3. There is a strong relationship between a partner’s implementation of learning supports and a child’s achievements in social communication and emotional regulation. **Child Progress or Lack of Progress Is Determined by Multiple Factors** Factors that influence a child’s progress or lack of progress may be conceptualized in three major categories: within-child factors, partner factors, and environmental factors. These risk and protective factors were discussed and presented in Chapter 3 of Volume I. However, if these risk factors were the sole or primary determinants of children’s developmental outcomes, we would expect that children with very similar factors associated with their development such as similar neurological impairments, genetic syndromes, or sensory profiles would be very much the same and develop the same. ***Partner Factors*** A basic premise of the SCERTS Model is that partners play the most critical role in supporting a child’s development. ***Environmental Factors*** The third category of factors is how environments are arranged and learning supports are used in educational programming and in everyday activities to support children’s social communication and emotional regulation. **HOW TRANSACTIONAL SUPPORT GOALS ARE IDENTIFIED AND LINKED TO SOCIAL COMMUNICATION AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION GOALS** 1. There is no one-to-one correspondence between individual Social Communication or Emotional Regulation goals and Transactional Support goals, as multiple transactional support factors may affect progress in social communication and emotional regulation. 2. Relevant transactional support factors for a child may vary depending on child-specific factors (e.g., learning style, arousal bias) and child-specific challenges in social communication and emotional regulation. 3. Because no one transactional support factor determines progress for each Social Communication and Emotional Regulation goal, the team must identify the most likely factors in transactional support in determining goals, affect change in those factors, and assess the impact on a child’s development. ### Table of Goals at the Social Partner Stage | Child goal | Related partner goals | | | --- | --- | --- | | Joint Attention JA1 Engages in reciprocal interaction | Interpersonal Support IS1 Partner is responsive to child IS2 Partner fosters initiation IS4 Partner sets stage for engagement | Learning Support LS1 Partner structures activity for active participation LS4 Partner modifies goals, activities,and learning environment | --- ### Snapshot of Kendra Kendra is a 2-year-old Social Partner who is working on initiating bids for interaction (JA1.2). Her partners discussed the need to achieve greater consistency with responding to her signals to foster her sense of communicative competence (IS1.3), wait for and encourage her initiations with others (IS2.2), and arrange learning environments to promote a higher frequency of initiation (LS4.5). --- ### Table of Goals at the Social Partner Stage: Shares Attention | Child goal | Related partner goals | | | --- | --- | --- | | Joint Attention JA2 Shares attention | Interpersonal Support IS1 Partner is responsive to child IS2 Partner fosters initiation IS4 Partner sets stage for engagement | Learning Support LS1 Partner structures activity for active participation LS4 Partner modifies goals, activities,and learning environment | --- ### Snapshot of David David is a 3-year-old Social Partner who is developing his ability to share attention. His team discussed the need for partners to consistently modify the learning environment to enhance David’s ability to share attention by maintaining a face-to-face position when looking at picture books. --- ### Table of Goals at the Social Partner Stage: Shares Emotion | Child goal | Related partner goals | | | --- | --- | --- | | Joint Attention JA3 Shares emotion | Interpersonal Support IS1 Partner is responsive to child IS2 Partner fosters initiation IS6 Partner adjusts language input IS7 Partner models appropriate behaviors | Learning Support LS2 Partner uses augmentative communication support to foster development LS4 Partner modifies goals, activities,and learning environment | --- ### Snapshot of Bridget Bridget is a 5-year-old Social Partner who is developing her ability to share positive emotions using clear facial expressions or vocalizations (JA3.2). --- ### Table of Goals at the Social Partner Stage: Shares Intentions | Child goal | Related partner goals | | | --- | --- | --- | | Joint Attention JA4 Shares intentions to regulate the behavior of others | Interpersonal Support IS1 Partner is responsive to child IS2 Partner fosters initiation IS3 Partner respects child’s independence IS7 Partner models appropriate behaviors | Learning Support LS2 Partner uses augmentative communication support to foster development LS4 Partner modifies goals, activities, and learning environment | --- ### Snapshot of Caleb Caleb is a 6-year-old Social Partner who is developing his ability to share intentions to regulate another’s behavior. --- ### Table of Goals at the Social Partner Stage: Shares Intentions for Social Interaction | Child goal | Related partner goals | | | --- | --- | --- | | Joint Attention JA5 Shares intentions for social interaction | Interpersonal Support IS1 Partner is responsive to child IS2 Partner fosters initiation IS7 Partner models appropriate behaviors | Learning Support LS1 Partner structures activity for active participation LS2 Partner uses augmentative communication support to foster development LS4 Partner modifies goals, activities,and learning environment | --- ### Snapshot of Rebecca Rebecca is a 3-year-old Social Partner who is developing her ability to share intentions for social interaction. --- ### Table of Goals at the Social Partner Stage: Shares Intentions for Joint Attention | Child goal | Related partner goals | | | --- | --- | --- | | Joint Attention JA6 Shares intentions for joint attention | Interpersonal Support IS1 Partner is responsive to child IS2 Partner fosters initiation IS4 Partner sets stage for engagement IS7 Partner models appropriate behaviors | Learning Support LS1 Partner structures activity for active participation LS4 Partner modifies goals, activities,and learning environment | --- ### Snapshot of Brett Brett is a 2-year-old Social Partner who is developing his ability to share intentions for joint attention.